[The] illustrations, drawn by Tashjian's 14-year-old son, Jake, are quite clever.” —Publishers Weekly
“This book is visually appealing to reluctant readers and shows that all kinds of stories can surprise us.” —Chicago Tribune
“A kinder, gentler Wimpy Kid with all the fun and more plot.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Janet Tashjian, known for her young adult books, offers a novel that's part Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007), part intriguing mystery; yet the best element here is really the first-person voice, which captures so completely the pushes and pulls in the life of someone with learning disabilities. . . . Give this to kids who think they don't like reading. It might change their minds.” —Booklist, starred review
“Sure to engage fans of Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid books (Abrams) as well as those looking for a spunky, contemporary boy with a mystery to solve.” —School Library Journal
“My Life as a Book is a fabulous, fast-paced choice for reluctant and avid readers alike.” —BookPage
“Cartoon drawings by the author's teenaged son decorate the margins and not only re-create Derek's illustrated vocabulary lists but also reduce the amount of text on each page, making the book more approachable for kids like Derek. Derek tells readers, ‘If my life were a book, I'd have my own cool adventures.' It is, and he does.” —The Horn Book
Gr 4–7—Twelve-year-old Derek has been identified as a reluctant reader. He likes to read, but doesn't enjoy required materials. He says he prefers having his own adventures (tossing as hand grenades the avocados his mother is saving for dinner, climbing onto the roof with a croquet set to hit wooden balls into the satellite dish) to learning about someone else's life. When his teacher gives the class summer reading and writing assignments, Derek finds a way to distract himself from the task. He discovers an old newspaper clipping about a 17-year-old who drowned, and his mother explains that the teen was babysitting him at the time and died saving him. Derek is determined to learn more about her death and his involvement in it. The margins of this book feature vocabulary words illustrated with cartoons. The protagonist is by turns likable and irritating, but always interesting. He is sure to engage fans of Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books (Abrams) as well as those looking for a spunky, contemporary boy with a mystery to solve. Reluctant readers will appreciate the book's large print and quick-paced story.—Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego
